Slowly and surely progressing through all of my backed up work. I feel great. I studied today, I took a nap, and I had samgyeopsal for dinner. I am on fire. Let's do this.

Eun shook his head as he paced his bedroom. He glanced at the dark outfit on his bed before shaking his head and groaning. "I don't see why I have to go to a family dinner when it's nothing but a photoshoot for the press," turning to Wook, he held his hands up and shrugged his shoulders. "Seriously, I'm just a K-Pop star. I don't want any part of this company stuff!"

Eun stared at his older brother who was already in a casual suit. Wook sat on Eun's bed with closed eyes and crossed arms. "Just put… whatever that is on, come to dinner, and try not to offend the Chairman's wife," his exasperated tone was met with a glance to his watch.

"Didn't Mother tell you it's rude to wear a watch at a dinner party?" Eun asked, giving in to his brother's demands. He turned toward the vanity he had in the room and picked up a container of hair gel. Placing some product into his hands, he ruffled his pink hair and raised an eyebrow at Wook through the mirror.

"Didn't Mother tell you to become an accountant?" Wook countered in return. "Put your clothes on. Are you going with So? There's enough space in Myung Hee's car for all of us, you know."

Wook sat idly as his brother shook his head, grumbling obscenities as he took his pajamas off and pulled on a black sweatshirt with his name on the back, ignoring the perplexed look Wook sent him. "I am a style icon," Eun declared as he fought to pull a pair of black shorts over compression leggings.

Once Eun was dressed in a black ensemble, Wook stepped off his brother's bed and held Eun's shoulder, guiding him out of his bedroom. "Why must I play parent to you when you're a fully grown man?" he asked as Eun posted a selfie of himself pouting, being sure not to include Wook in the picture.

The stepped into the living room where the rest of the family waited. Wook nodded to So who sat on the sofa with crossed arms. So wore a gray button down tucked into black pants, his uncomfortable expression clear. Myung Hee stood by, her lavender dress matched with a thick shawl around her shoulders. Wook hoped she would be alright for the night. He didn't want her to strain herself in any way.

Beside Myung Hee, Soo rocked on the balls of her feet, her expression as constrained as Eun or So's. Her anger over the increased security had yet to subside, but the nerve wracking thought of meeting So's family for the first time in this life left her feeling… helpless. And though she already knew Eun, Jung, Wook, So, and Baek Ah, Soo found herself worrying about the rest of the family. She had not wanted to go, but the Chairman's invitation had included her as well. Her fingers twisted the lace that covered her dress.

"You all look like you're about to poison yourselves," Wook commented dryly. He pulled at the cuffs of his shirt so the white material peeked out from beneath his jacket. "It's a casual dinner with the entire family and yet you three are all antsy.."

"Casual," So scoffed. His dark eyes met Wook's as he shook his head. "There'll be an armada of photographers and my mother will be there. There's nothing casual about this except that we're allowed to wear what we want and our nieces and nephews will be there."

Smiling, Wook ignored his brother's comment.

In a matter of minutes and a round of bickering between brothers, all five people were situated in Myung Hee's Range Rover with Wook at the helm, Myung Hee beside him, and So, Soo, and Eun sitting in the back.

The evening was warm and bright with city lights. The white SUV cut through traffic, making good progress toward the designated restaurant. While they drove, Wook listened to Eun update them on the media outside of the hotel where the restaurant was located.

"An anonymous secretary has leaked that the Chairman of the Jong Group has invited his entire family for dinner at the GiHwa House, a traditional Korean- No! Turn the car around!" Eun shouted as he read off of his phone. Wook only continued to smile and drive as his brother complained that he didn't want to eat any more traditional Korean food. "Why can't we just go out for burgers?!"

"Keep reading," Wook chuckled as he noticed So crack a smile at their melodramatic brother.

Huffing, Eun sat back in his seat and stared down at his phone. "All of his sons, including K-Pop star, Wang Eun; Musician/Model/Poet, Wang Baek Ah; and Athlete, Wang Jung are said to be there as well as their families. It has been reported that a reservation for twenty was made under Wang Yo's name."

So scoffed out the window. His knee touched Soo's and though he could not hold her hand, he discreetly tapped the side of his shoe against her heel. "The media loves Baek Ah," he sighed. "It looks like the reporters only care about the younger, more popular Wangs."

"That's because we've never been audited," Eun declared cheekily, earning him the glares of both his older brothers.

They could see the restaurant in a matter of minutes. So secretly pressed the back of his hand to Soo's thigh as she gasped at the sheer number of photographers and people present. Soo did not look at him; only reached to place her hand beside his so they were touching.

"That Bentley…" So squinted out the window at a gray car already pulling into the prestigious restaurant. "Isn't that Yo's?"

They watched as the driver rushed to open the back door of the car and Yo emerged, carrying his son in his arms. He walked to the other side of the car and opened the door for his wife who stepped out of the car as the driver closed the doors and moved to drive away. Yo looked straight at the Range Rover before nodding and walking into the restaurant with his wife.

"How many of the fans here are Eun's?" Myung Hee asked as crowds of people shouted for the K-Pop star. "You may have to sign a few things before going inside."

The Rover pulled into the front of the restaurant and Wook sighed in relief at the sight of a valet preparing to take his keys.

So was the first out of the car, facing the bright flashes and people screaming Eun and Baek Ah's names. He reached a hand out to help Soo out of the car and ignored Eun when he also reached his hand forward.

Soo unconsciously stood beside So, not taking his hand, but hovering close by. She could see Wook helping Myung Hee out of the car and suddenly, the screams grew louder as Eun hopped out of the SUV, a smile on his face. He waved to his fans and Soo quickly entered the restaurant with So, eager to escape the masses.

The restaurant was quiet compared to the clamor outside. Soo walked beside So as they were led to a private room by a server. As the paper and wood doors were slid open, Soo felt her heart stop and stomach clench at the sight of so many familiar faces.

Wang Taejo sat at the head of the table with a young boy standing beside him. The two seemed to be playing a game. Soo recognized the boy as Mu's son. Beside the Chairman sat So's mother, Madam Yoo. Soo could not see Wook's mother and wondered what their stories were in this life.

Their group seemed to be the last to arrive. Soo bowed to the family as she entered shyly. "Welcome, Soo," the Chairman greeted her warmly. "Welcome, Myung Hee."

Soo was seated between Jung and Yo's wife. She sat across from So who was between Myung Hee and Baek Ah. The room itself was an easy target for photographers. With large windows and bright lighting, the family was easily visible. Soo could see distant flashes and she hoped no one would think that she was Jung's girlfriend because she was placed beside him.

Dinner commenced and the once empty table was stocked with plates of meat and side dishes. Soo watched as the family interacted with each other, noticing a much lighter atmosphere than the past.

The Chairman ate with his grandchildren and wife, smiling at his children, but paying the most attention to the wives of his sons and making sure they were always eating more or doing well. He asked them questions about their homes, implored about the children's' education, and offered any sum of money to ensure none of the children were unhappy or wanting of anything. He held Yeon Hwa's daughter in one arm and Mu's daughter in the other, barely touching his meal to spend time with his grandchildren.

Madam Yoo, So's mother, still seemed to only prefer Yo and Jung. Soo almost wanted to wrinkle her nose at the older woman who ignored the Chairman's other sons in favor of asking Jung about his Olympic endeavors. Jung still lived with his parents, but from what So had told her, Soo knew that Jung was planning to move out straight after the Olympics. She could see why.

As beautiful as Madam Yoo was, she was a sour woman with a haughty expression and manner of speech. She lavished love upon Yo's son, Gyung, while showing near indifference to any of the other grandchildren the Chairman's other sons had provided.

Soo noticed that Yo seemed closer to So than before. The second oldest still seemed to hold disdain for everyone and everything, but his cold demeanor warmed toward his wife and full brothers. She was relieved to find that the brothers held a strong sense of fraternity even though their mothers were different and even though it was obvious how Madam Yoo wanted to keep Yo and Jung away from So.

"How long have you been living with Wook and Myung Hee?" Yo's wife asked Soo.

"Oh, just over a month now," Soo replied with a sheepish smile. Yo's wife was only a year older than her. "Your baby is so cute," she said, glancing over at the little boy in Yo's lap. Gyung was barely nine months old and his chubby cheeks begged to be squeezed as he squealed at his grandfather and babbled nonsense as his father ate. He held Yo's necktie in his hands, wrinkling the orange silk and putting it in his mouth.

Yo's wife, Park Mun Seong, was sweet and she spoke with Soo throughout the meal, keeping her company and keeping her away from the murderous gaze of Yeon Hwa, Wook's younger sister. Yeon Hwa seemed to not get along with any of the wives in the family and Soo wondered if that included her even though she had yet to become a wife. She felt that she had had enough of Yeon Hwa for a lifetime.

"Don't mind Yeon Hwa," Mun Seong said quietly to Soo. She turned to hand a baby bottle to her husband before offering Soo a reassuring smile. "She doesn't hate you- she just hates that all of the women here were in arranged marriages except you or me," she explained.

Nodding slowly, Soo glanced at the woman that had antagonized her in a past life. Yeon Hwa's stony gaze fell on Myung Hee, who spoke with Wook.

"Your marriage wasn't arranged?" Soo asked Mun Seong. With raised eyebrows, she blinked at the other woman who accepted Gyung from Yo.

Grinning, Mun Seong shook her head as she bounced her son on her knee. "My husband was arranged to marry my sister, but they divorced after a few months. We married afterward because we wanted to- not because anyone told us to."

Soo looked over at So who chewed his food while listening to Yo and their mother converse about Gyung's first birthday party. So seemed to be enjoying dinner even though his mother's fearsome glare rested on him more often than not. He ate and conversed with his family, pretending to not see his mother at all. Soo noticed that he looked as if he were as happy as Eun, who completely ignored the food in front of him and played patty-cake with Mu's daughter as Baek Ah watched.

"I'd love if we could have tea sometime," Mun Seong said to Soo. "There aren't many people my age that are a part of this type of family and making friends is hard. I'd like for us to be friends." Soo accepted wholeheartedly as Gyung held onto of her fingers.

"I would love to meet you for tea," she smiled.

After dinner, Soo was surprised when So told Wook to go without him. He needed to speak with the Chairman and, for reasons unknown, Eun asked to stay with So.

So watched as the Range Rover drove away from the restaurant. He carried Yo's son in his arms, trying to ignore the glare his mother shot him as she left with Jung.

The baby squealed in his uncle's arms and So pressed a kiss to Gyung's cheek as he remembered being introduced to the baby a month after his birth when So had secretly visited Seoul to see Yo. Particles of memory resurfaced and he remembered staying at Yo's house for three days in order to meet his nephew and catch up with his older brother and sister. No one else in the family except for Baek Ah had known that he had visited. He wanted to laugh at the completely different situations he was privy to in this lifetime.

The Chairman waited until Yo and Mu left before speaking to So. "What do you need, son?" he asked. The two men sat in the empty room where the family had been just moments before. Now, only Eun sat with them, earbuds stuffed into his ears and music blasting from them, oblivious to the world.

So cleared his throat and sat up straight, not meeting eyes with his father. The Chairman sat back in his seat, a glass of water in his hand. The older man could not recall the last time So looked that nervous before him. Perhaps it was when he had been caught living in Yo's dormitory for a week after running away from his mother's home. Wang Taejo knew that had been during his marriage to Wook's mother. So's mother, Shin Myung had tried to cut him from his children until they were remarried and during that time, the Chairman knew So had been abused for his very existence- his mother seeing him as the reason he had left her. Wang Taejo owed his son a great debt for the pain he had caused him as a child.

"Father, I ask that you allow me to marry," So said, his back rigid and his stomach in knots.

The Chairman was taken aback and he peered at his son with searching eyes. The younger man kept his gaze averted and his stance formal. Wang Taejo blinked and gazed over at Eun to see if his other son had heard, but the younger son only continued to bob his head to the beat of his music.

The Chairman moved to touch his beard before smiling, his initial shock already disappearing. "I never thought this day would arrive," he murmured, moving to place a hand on So's tense shoulder. "To think my dear son would ask to marry… who is she?"

So breathed deeply, a bead of sweat dripping down his forehead. "I- I'd like to marry Hae Soo," he stated, finally looking up and meeting his father's eyes. The Chairman frowned.

"Isn't Hae Soo the girl living at Wook's house? His wife's cousin?"

So nodded and cleared his throat, his hands clenched. His father asked for an explanation and So was prepared to give one. "We've been seeing each other and… and I love her with my whole being," he said in a shaking voice. "Soo and I met in the past and we met again this past week at Wook's house. I know that she is the one I want by my side forever and I think she feels the same way about me."

The Chairman set his glass of water back onto the table. "Son, right now, a wedding is not the best thing for our family. What, with the abdication proce-" he stopped mid-sentence and sighed. "You already know this," he stated as So agreed. Gravelly, his father stroked his beard.

"Father, all I ask is that you allow me to marry her. It doesn't have to be soon. We can wait until after the company has switched hands. I just need your permission." So seemed desperate and Wang Taejo wondered just how infatuated he was with this girl if he wanted to marry her so much.

"Does Myung Hee know you're with her cousin?" the Chairman asked. "You know how Wook and his wife treat the girl. They see her less as an extension of the household and more as their sister or child- do they know?"

So shook his head apprehensively. "Soo and I have been secretly seeing each other because we worry about how Wook and his wife will react. No one knows."

The two sat in silence and the Chairman gave a grave nod. "You know that she is without parents and not even a main Hae like Myung Hee is. There is no political power or money in marrying-"

"I love her," So placed a hand down onto the table, cutting into his father's words. "Father, I love her with my body and soul. She is all I care about- not her family name or her money. I only want her."

Eun watched as his father was driven away. The dinner was officially over and only he and So remained. Even the photographers and fans had gone home. "That was stupid," yawned Eun. He looked over at his older brother who seemed pensive. "What did you and Father discuss?"

So bit his bottom lip and gave a small snort. "None of your business," he stated.

"Was it about you and Soo?" the younger man asked nonchalantly. He grinned when So swivelled to meet his eyes in surprise. "What?" Eun shrugged. "Don't think I couldn't see my older brother being lovey dovey with Soo at my outdoor concert? I saw you two." Eun's toothy grin faded as So glowered at him. "Plus, Soo's room is really close to mine and unless she has a bigger bathroom than yours, there shouldn't be any reason you're going into her room at night." His smile grew wider as So's expression grew darker.

"And exactly what do I need to pay you to keep your mouth shut?" questioned the older man, already calculating what a K-Pop star might ask for. Art? Money? A car?

Eun pointed to his grumbling stomach. "You can pay for the cab home and for whatever I want when we get burgers."

Skeptically, So stared Eun down, subconsciously grinding his teeth before agreeing, his lips pressed into a tight line. "Know that if you tell anyone, I'll skin you alive," he threatened. "Wook can't protect you from me when I'm angry. I'll make sure you disappear."

Eun only waved a hand as if to clear the air. "No you won't," he grinned. "Let's go, Brother! I want fries and the night is still young! Have you ever had a milkshake at midnight? My manager always says no, but since I'm with my rich older brother, I think it's high time I had one!"